Tennis: Sweeting beats Nishikori for clay title
He sealed the win when the Japanese’ forehand went wide.
HOUSTON:
American wild card Ryan Sweeting captured his first ATP Tour title by beating Japan’s Kei Nishikori 6-4, 7-6 at the US Clay Court Championships. Sweeting is the first wild-card winner in this tournament since fellow American Mardy Fish did it five years ago. Nishikori’s late comeback just fell short as the American edged him in a second set tie-breaker. The 10th game of the second set went back and forth as the pair duelled through 26 points. Sweeting eventually held serve when the sixth-seed’s lob sailed long and hit a forehand volley winner in the tiebreaker to get it to match point. He sealed the win when the Japanese’ forehand went wide.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 12th, 2011.
American wild card Ryan Sweeting captured his first ATP Tour title by beating Japan’s Kei Nishikori 6-4, 7-6 at the US Clay Court Championships. Sweeting is the first wild-card winner in this tournament since fellow American Mardy Fish did it five years ago. Nishikori’s late comeback just fell short as the American edged him in a second set tie-breaker. The 10th game of the second set went back and forth as the pair duelled through 26 points. Sweeting eventually held serve when the sixth-seed’s lob sailed long and hit a forehand volley winner in the tiebreaker to get it to match point. He sealed the win when the Japanese’ forehand went wide.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 12th, 2011.