Johnson moves past Kozlov

NEWPORT, R.I. — Steve Johnson debunked the Stefan Kozlov myth.

The veteran American tennis pro, the No. 95 ranked Johnson suffered back-to-back losses (in straight sets) to Kozlov during consecutive weeks in the round of 16 at Delray Beach, Florida and in the qualifying round at Acapulco.

The No. 104 ranked, 24-year old Kozlov, a native of Macedonia who now calls Pembroke Pines, Fl. as his home, had beaten Johnson in three of four previous meetings – a third of his nine ATP career tournament wins.

Johnson not only battled through Kozlov, but also the swirling, gusting winds on Centre Court at the International Tennis Hall of Fame Monday to prevail 7-5, 6-3, in a notso-pretty 148-point, two-hour, one-minute marathon.

Johnson, the 2018 Hall of Fame champion, had a 6-0 edge in service aces, while Kozlov double-faulted eight times.

Johnson was successful on just 56 percent of his first serves (37-for-66), but won 31 of those points, while saving four break points.

Johnson had beaten Kozlov in their latest duel, 6-0, 6-0 in the qualifying round last month at the Queens Club grass court tournament in London prior to Wimbledon. Oddly enough, Kozlov made his ATP tour career debut in Newport as a 15year old playing (and losing) in the first qualifying round.

“It’s one of those things, where it’s the luck of the draw, we just happen to be near one another,” Johnson said of his fourth career meeting with Kozlov this season.

“He plays a very awkward, tricky style of game,” Johnson said of Kozlov. “I’m glad that I hunkered down and stayed to the game plan. A lot of balls that you think are there to hit are not there because of the winds. The overall conditions, being a bit swirly, when it’s changing like that it’s hard to get a read on it.