Young Americans Donaldson and Kozlov Receive Wild Cards Into Memphis Open

January 29, 2015 | By New York Tennis Magazine Staff
Stefan_Kozlov (6)
Photo credit: Calvin Rhoden

The Memphis Open, presented by ServiceMaster, has announced that Jared Donaldson and Stefan Kozlov, two promising American teenagers, received wild cards into the main draw of the event, set for Feb. 7-15 at the Racquet Club of Memphis. The wild cards give Donaldson, 18, and Kozlov, 16, direct entry into the singles field of 28, where they’ll compete alongside top pros such as 2014 U.S. Open finalist Kei Nishikori and top-ranked American John Isner.

Donaldson is the third-youngest player ranked in the Top 300, at No. 251. He competed in the main draw of the 2014 U.S. Open, where he also received a wild card entry, after winning 16 straight pro singles matches over the summer. Donaldson, from Chepachet, R.I., was the runner-up at the 2013 USTA Boys’ 18-and-under National Championships, an achievement that led him to train with Roger Federer in Dubai later that same year. Donaldson turned pro in November, shortly after turning 18, and competed in qualifying at the 2015 Australian Open.

Kozlov, who turns 17 on Feb. 1, is the youngest player in the Top 500 of the ATP World Tour rankings, at 455th. He has been ranked as high as number two in the world among juniors (players ages 18 and under) and advanced to the junior singles final at both Wimbledon and the Australian Open in 2014. Kozlov, who has already turned pro, made his ATP main draw debut at Newport in 2013, as a 15-year-old. He is a resident of Pembroke Pines, Fla., and has lived in South Florida since emigrating from his native Macedonia with his family at the age of one.


New York Tennis Magazine Staff
Centercourt
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