Top seed Milos Raonic marked his Delray Beach Open debut in emphatic style with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Tim Smyczek on Tuesday.
The World No. 4 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, back in action after a quarter-final showing at the Australian Open, needed just 24 minutes to clinch the opening set against the American qualifier. Smyczek reached the quarter-finals at Delray Beach in 2016, but his challenge looked to be fading when Raonic saved four break points at the start of set two.
The Canadian struck 10 aces and won 90 per cent of points off first serves. He secured the decisive break in the ninth game to book a second-round encounter with #NextGenATP player Borna Coric. The Croatian defeated Santiago Giraldo 6-2, 6-3.
“Overall I have to be happy. I haven't played much tennis over the last few weeks, and I really put in as much work as I could over the last week to get into my best shape here, and now I'm here. I've won my first match and I hope I can continue,” Raonic said. “I feel good.”
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In the first match on Stadium Court, top-ranked American Jack Sock prevailed 6-4, 7-6(2) against Moldavian Radu Albot to improve his 2017 match record to 8-1. World No. 21 Sock, who captured his second ATP World Tour singles title at the ASB Classic in Auckland last month, will next face Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.
“It’s probably my eighth time playing here if you count the juniors. I have a lot of experience in Delray. I've played the junior clays here numerous times. So I have great memories here,” reflected Sock. “I feel a lot more confident this year, a lot stronger, excited to be back and hopefully for many more years.”
In a rematch of the 2015 Delray Beach Open final, Donald Young upset second seed Ivo Karlovic 7-6(5), 7-6(3).
“I really like playing in Delray,” said Young. “It's a great American town, and they really support the players. It's outside. Great weather. Again, it's another tournament in the States where you can eat the stuff you like. You see a lot of friends, family and people you've seen your whole life.”
“Once I was able to get the first, my whole scope of the situation changed, and I was able to be more confident and relaxed and won another tie-break.”