Young Storms Back to Defeat 11th-Seed Simon at U.S. Open

September 1, 2015 | By New York Tennis Magazine Staff
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A fired up Donald Young rallied back from two sets to love down for the first time in his career to beat 11th-seeded Frenchman Gilles Simon 2-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 and advance to the U.S. Open second-round on Tuesday.

In what was the most exciting match of the day, Young used the crowd support behind him to convert all three of his break points in the final set. He broke for a 5-4 lead, and finished off his next service game with an ace. He pounded his chest and smacked a ball into the crowd before shaking hands with Simon in what was a huge win for the 26-year-old American’s confidence.

“It’s just so awesome to play in front of you,” Young told the crowd on Court 17. “I was almost ready to go home there, but I stayed through. You guys were out here watching, and I’m happy you guys stayed it out.”

He was previously 0-17 in matches where he lost the first two sets. Up next for Young is Aljaz Bedene of Great Britain, a winner on Tuesday after his opponent, Ernests Gulbis of Latvia, was forced to retire in the third set. The retirement of Gulbis is the ninth of the tournament so far.

Young’s American compatriot, John Isner, had a little easier time in his opening-round match on Tuesday, cruising past Tunisia’s Malek Jaziri 6-2, 6-3, 6-4, firing 24 aces and converting four break points, to reach the second-round.

Tomas Berdych dismissed American wild card Bjorn Fratangelo 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 to advance. The sixth-seeded Czech fired 37 winners to set up a matchup with former top-10 player Jurgen Melzer, who ousted American Denis Kudla 6-3, 7-5, 6-1.


New York Tennis Magazine Staff
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