Houston champion Steve Johnson avoided the upset bug on Tuesday, a day filled with them at the Banque Eric Sturdza Geneva Open. The sixth-seeded American beat Romanian Marius Copil 7-6(4), 6-3. Johnson hit 11 aces and escaped danger regularly on his serve, saving eight of nine break points. Johnson will face Czech right-hander Lukas Rosol in the second round. Rosol saved two match points to beat countryman Jiri Vesely 2-6, 7-6(6), 7-6(4). The 32-year-old trailed by a set and 4/6 in the second-set tie-break before rallying to victory in two hours and 15 minutes. German Peter Gojowczyk picked up his 15th win of the season by beating fourth seed David Ferrer 6-2, 6-4. Gojowczyk hit eight aces and saved both break...
Steve Johnson recorded his sixth win in seven matches on clay this season, defeating 2008 finalist Stan Wawrinka 6-4, 6-4 at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia. The Houston champion (d. Sandgren) took 81 minutes to overcome Wawrinka, winning 76 per cent of first-service points and converting both of his break-point chances to advance to the second round. Wawrinka was appearing on the ATP World Tour for the first time since retiring from his second-round match against Ilya Ivashka at the Open 13 Provence in February. "If I really look at where I am right now, I'm really happy," said Wawrinka. "I think, in general, my level is really high, it is better than what I expected. "[I started playing] tennis only...
My hands were on my knees as I stood bent over behind the baseline. After retaining my title in Houston last month, I was choking back tears. I looked to the sky and pumped my fist as I walked to the net to embrace my opponent, Tennys Sandgren, a first-time finalist who I knew wanted to win his first trophy badly. When I put my head down on his chest, Tennys said something I will never forget. “I know our Dads are watching in the crowd.” Aaron M. Sprecher/US Clay I was doing my best to hold it together. But when Tennys, who lost his father a number of years ago, said that, I let it all out. One year...
Watch highlights as Steve Johnson defeats countryman Tennys Sandgren to win his second consecutive Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship title. Watch live tennis at tennistv.com. Photo: Aaron M. Sprecher/US Clay.
Steve Johnson should celebrate his wedding with an extra-wide grin next weekend. The 28-year-old American retained his Houston title during an emotional final on Sunday, beating compatriot Tennys Sandgren 7-6(2), 2-6, 6-4 at the Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship. Johnson became the first American to go back-to-back in Houston since Andy Roddick in 2001-02. The California native had to go through his compatriots to pull it off. He beat five Americans – Ernesto Escobedo, Frances Tiafoe, John Isner, Taylor Fritz and Sandgren – to hoist his third ATP World Tour title (2017 Houston, 2016 Nottingham). “It means a lot [to win] here. This is one of the best tournaments of the year. You get the atmosphere...
