Robby Ginepri posted a 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 hometown debut win on Tuesday, defeating Australian qualifier Nick Lindahl to book into the second round of the Atlanta Tennis Championships.
The event, returned to circulation after a nine-year pause, came back to life after the US federation bought the ATP sanction of the ill-starred former tournament in Indianapolis, a venue where Ginepri won two editions — including last year.
While he’s a seasoned campaigner, the 27-year-old Ginepri confessed to an uncharacteristic case of pre-match nerves during the match run-up.
“It felt a little bit like the days before the start of a Grand Slam,” said the player with up to 20 friends and family in the stands for his victory. “I had some anxiety in practice which I usually don’t have.”
“I recognized it and got through it. When you step onto the court most of the worries go away,” he said.
Ginepri said he started to feel more comfortable after getting a break back for three-all in the tight opening set with Lindahl, Swedish-born but now an Australian and ranked a distant 244.
The 75th-ranked Ginepri finished with eight aces, breaking four times in the 82-minute contest.
He will next face US compatriot and friend Mardy Fish.
“It will be tough as we know each other’s game inside and out. He’s got a big serve and he’s playing as well as I’ve seen him play for some time,” Ginepri said.
Taylor Dent and Donald Young also produced US wins, with Dent, 29, showing signs of recovery two years after returning following back surgery.
Dent, who has risen 700 rankings spots since his injury nadir, added to the continuing misery of former top ten player James Blake 6-3, 3-6, 6-4. Young won only his second ATP match of the season with his defeat of Israeli Dudi Sela 7-5, 6-0.
Blake, now ranked 115, had taken four of five previous meetings with Dent. Blake had said that he was finally feeling his fitness after a year of a slow healing knee injury — one where he refused to take any painkillers.
“I haven’t had results in a long time,” the 30-year-old said. “The injury took longer than I want to admit.”
Belgian Xavier Malisse defeated American Ryan Sweeting 7-6 (7/1), 6-3 while South African Kevin Anderson upset Serb Janko Tipsarevic, seeded fifth, 6-3, 7-5.
■GERMAN OPEN
AP, HAMBURG, GERMANY
Top-seeded Nikolay Davydenko of Russia opened the defense of his German Open title by beating Florent Serra of France 6-3, 6-1 on Tuesday.
Like all seeded players, Davydenko had a bye in the first round and has now advanced to the third round.
Potito Starace of Italy outlasted Tommy Robredo of Spain 7-6 (10), 5-7, 6-1 to also reach the third round.
Florian Mayer of Germany beat another seeded player, rallying to win 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-3 against No. 15 Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine.
In other second-round action, Jarkko Nieminen of Finland ousted ninth-seeded Gilles Simon of France 6-4, 3-6, 7-5, Maximo Gonzalez of Argentina defeated Albert Ramos-Vinolas of Spain 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 6-2 and Fabio Fognini of Italy beat Marc Gicquel of France 6-4, 6-4.
■GASTEIN LADIES
AP, BAD GASTEIN, AUSTRIA
Top-seeded Andrea Petkovic started the defense of her Gastein Ladies title on Tuesday with a 6-4, 6-0 first-round win over Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic.
The 35th-ranked German dropped serve three times but was in control of the match after winning the opening set against Benesova.
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