Life’s a ball for Somdev
Indian qualifier dethrones champ Dolgopolov in Washington
WASHINGTON: Indian qualifier Somdev Devvarman eliminated defending champion Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) on Tuesday at the US$1.76mil Washington Open.
World number 129 Devvarman, a two-time US college champion ranked 104 spots below Ukranian ninth seed Dolgopolov, advanced to the round of 16, where he could face US eighth seed John Isner.
“I’m very happy. That guy is a tough player, no question,” Devvarman said. “I played really well. In the beginning he gave me a couple of errors to break him.
“He fought back in the second set. I was serving well. It kept me in the match and gave me confidence.”
Devvarman, who went to India after Wimbledon to work with a Chennai-based charity called “Life is a Ball,” feels on top of his game.
“I’m pretty sharp,” he said. “Physically for sure.”
American Ryan Harrison ousted Australian former world number one Lleyton Hewitt 6-3, 7-5 to book a second-round match against Argentine top seed Juan Martin Del Potro, a two-time Washington winner and the 2009 US Open champion.
If Del Potro advances, he would face 20-year-old Aussie Bernard Tomic in the round of 16. Tomic advanced with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Belgium’s David Goffin, avenging a first-round loss last year at Wimbledon.
“I played not so bad,” Tomic said. “Very tough conditions. Very difficult to play 100% on these courts because it’s so hot and so humid.”
Two other Aussies won as well, with wildcard James Duckworth downing Japanese qualifier Yuichi Sugita 6-2, 6-2 and Marinko Matosevic ousting Russian 15th seed Nikolay Davydenko 6-4, 7-5.
Another Aussie qualifier, Samuel Groth, blasted 10 aces but lost as Canadian fourth seed Milos Raonic hit nine of his own in a 7-5, 6-4 triumph.
Women’s top seed Angelique Kerber of Germany dominated US qualifier Irina Falconi 6-2, 6-3 to book a second-round date with American Melanie Oudin. — AFP