Ryan Sweeting edges Tim Smyczek to advance in the US Men’s Clay Court Championship
American wild card entry, Ryan Sweeting destroyed his fellow countryman, Tim Smyczek in straight sets advancing to the second round at the 2011 US Men’s Clay Court Championship on Tuesday.
Both 23-year-old Americans are in good shape this season and have won seven out of their last ten matches. However Ranked 93 in the South African Airways 2011 ATP Rankings, Sweeting thrashed his compatriot by 6-2, 6-2 at the River Oaks Country Club in Houston.
They last dueled in Atlanta last year where Sweeting was victorious in straight sets.
Sweeting, who recently made a quarter-final berth in Honolulu and Delray Beach, displayed top form in the opening set. He was on fire right from the beginning as he held his entire serves responsibly and only conceded (?) two games. In addition to this,
he committed zero double faults, smacked three aces, registered an impressive 90 percent win on his lower first serve share and converted two out of five breakpoint opportunities to his advantage to clinch the set with a 6-2 win.
Sweeting, who is 83 ranks above his fellow countryman, carried his winning momentum to the final set where he had a much better first serve share of 85 percent as opposed to Smyczek’s 62 percent. He just lost his serve once but was quick to regain composure
by breaking his fellow American’s serve three times with his quick forehands and backhands.
Smyczek overall played poorly and could only keep his serve once in the final set. He also committed five double faults and had a much lower first serve share. Furthermore, he could only save three out of eight breakpoints and was able to convert only one
breakpoint opportunity to his advantage.
The wild card entry will next face his 2nd seeded countryman, Sam Querrey, and Sweeting needs to considerably sharpen his skills further to down a seeded opponent.
The world number 20, Querrey hasn’t had much progress this season and was ousted from the first rounds at Sydney, Australian Open and San Jose. However he reached the quarter-finals at Memphis before losing to 4th seed American Mardy Fish.
On another court, the tournament for another American came to an end at the hands of Argentinean Horacio Zeballos. The Argentinean defeated the 18-year-old American wild card entry, Ryan Harrison who is also the youngest player in the tournament.
Zeballos had a higher first serve share, saved four out of five breakpoints, and committed less double faults. Furthermore, he converted four out of seven breakpoint opportunities to his advantage to clinch the match with a 6-4, 6-3 win.