Smith into Newport quarters
Australia's John-Patrick Smith is through to his first ATP quarterfinal after beating American Jared Donaldson at the Hall of Fame Championships on Wednesday.
Newport, RI, USA, 16 July 2015 | AP
Australia’s John-Patrick Smith is through to his first ATP quarterfinal after beating American Jared Donaldson in straight sets at the Hall of Fame Championships in Newport on Wednesday.
The 26-year-old Queenslander, who is ranked 156th in the world, beat local favourite Jared Donaldson 6-3 6-1 in the second round.
Smith, who recorded 82 per cent first serves and was broken just once in their 54-minute encounter, upset world No.25 and compatriot Bernard Tomic in the first round.
He will now meet Tatsuma Ito after the unseeded Japanese upset seventh-seed Steve Johnson 6-4 6-4.
Also advancing to the quarterfinals were Americans Jack Sock and Rajeev Ram.
Fourth-seeded Sock rallied past Lukas Lacko of Slovakia 3-6 7-6(4) 6-4 while Ram defeated Yuichi Sugita of Japan 6-4 6-3, a day after upsetting top-seeded John Isner.
The 31-year-old Ram – the world No.161 who last won the Newport title in 2009 – returned the various slices, lobs and other change-of-pace shots offered by Sugita.
The 22-year-old Sock, ranked 39th, needed two hours to advance in humid conditions on centre court.
“You see a lot of upsets here every year, it’s part of the game,” said Sock, who faced seven break points, saving four in the third set. “With the weather, I haven’t been in much humidity and heat – that took some adjusting to.”
Ram is making a solid run in the tournament.
“I’ve done this for long enough, it’s a completely different match, a different day,” Ram said of the short turnaround.
“A completely different opponent is really more of an issue. I had to play with a little bit of a different strategy, a little bit of a different outlook on it, but I played pretty well.”
In other action, fifth-seeded Adrian Mannarino of France beat Tommy Haas of Germany 6-7(5) 7-6(1) 6-4.