This may be the first time Jason Jung’s name has been mentioned on this site but for certain it won’t be the last.
The unknown American 28 year old stunned grass court guru Sergey Stakhovsky in three sets on court two.
Jung played ncaa tennis at Michigan and has endured years on the futures and challenger circuits, somehow maintaining a belief against all odds that he could reach the ATP main tour.
He played a recent major – losing to Chardy – but today’s win might be his first ATP win, according to his childhood friend Grant Chen who is here in Newport but wasn’t fully certain if it is.
It all gets a little blurry when you play for years in the minor leagues of pro tennis. Jung is super fit, average height but he can control a tennis ball.
He looked like a grass court natural today. I will get more info tomorroe about Jung.
Bernard Tomic was outplayed on center court today by Dudi Sela in three sets. Both players needed the win to boost their ATP ranking but it was the crafty Sela who earned the appointment with the Karlovic vs deMinaur winner.
Alex Bolt served for the win in the third set at 54 but Christian Harrison prevailed 75. Dressed in all white Babolat and asics wristbands, Harrison is healthy now after numerous surgeries and after years of struggles, may be ready to fulfill the old prophecy that younger brother is actually more talented than big bro Ryan who lost today to Nico Mahut.
Harrison has had but a small hanful of ATP match wins and was playing in Futures a year ago. Christian gets Steve Johnson next.
DeMinaur shared thoughts about his Wimbledon match vs Rafael Nadal, “It’s just incredible his physicality. Thats what shocked me the most. It was the first time I have been on a court with him. His presence as well. You watch him on TV and you can’t really appreciate how hard he hits every single ball and how much intensity and brute force goes into every one of his groundstrokes.”
Top seed world no. 26 Adrian Mannarino says his comfort playing on grass is from playing on grass since childhood and “I’m not playing with a lot of spin so that helps me to keep the ball pretty low, the low bounce is already there on this surface. I feel comfortable running on grass. I’ve been playing on this surface since I was ten.”
Dangerous power: Marcelo Arevalo of El Salvador hit his first serve of the doubles match yesterday vs Zverev and Baghdatis and it was so heavy it bounced ovee the fishnet fencing, passed my friend Dan’s hand and right into the face of a poor kid who had to be taken away for medical help. Arevalo and his partner Miguel Angel Reyes Varela of Mexico won 76 64.
Tim Smyczek revealed that he missed Wimbledon qualifying because he missed the sign-up deadline. Smyczek lost first round last week as top seed at Winnetka Challenger but after beating Fratangelo yesterday hes into the second round vs Matt Ebden. Tim said his wife Ana is expecting their first child around US Open time. Tim is in Newport this week with his mom.
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Duke Carnoustie · July 18, 2018 at 12:47 am
Jung had a strong Winnetka tournament, losing in the final so his star is on the rise.
DY also gifted a wild card into his hometown event in Atlanta. Would have been embarrassing to have to try to qualify for that.
Big story in tennis is that SW19 men’s double champ Jack Sock made the most of his two weeks in town. He is currently dating British tennis star Katie Boulter – Mike Bryan spilled the beans on his IG. So anyone wondering why Sock is so happy in his interviews now knows the answer.
Leif Wellington Haase · July 18, 2018 at 1:18 am
I’ve had the genuine pleasure of seeing Jason and his Michigan teammate Evan King since they were sophomores getting some early experience on the lowest rungs of the pro circuit. Two of the nicest and most thoughtful guys around, with interests that range well beyond tennis.
They were featured in this essay on life in the tennis minor leagues in Grantland, still a good read, and Jason used to blog about his experience on the fringes of the tour.
http://grantland.com/features/the-futures-is-bleak/
Jason played in my hometown SF Challenger this year and was down match point to Mackie McDonald…getting blown off the court in uncompetitive straight sets. He miraculously turned the match around, won in three sets, and went on to win the tournament, giving his career literally new life and setting the stage for his best run ever, which continues into Newport. (It was his first challenger tournament win since his first tournament as a pro eons ago.) I think if he hadn’t won that match against McDonald he might have called it a day for good, which shows on what a thin thread so many careers can hang.
Happy too that Evan King has finally made it into the top 200 after years languishing in the 400s (or below) and has notched some good wins, including at Indian Wells. King by the way is now a dead ringer for James Harden and is actually a superb basketball player who has Harden’s entire repertoire down pat.
Chazz · July 18, 2018 at 8:44 am
Duke, sounds like Sock is winning in more ways than one. I’ll have to keep an eye on Boulter. Hopefully she cracks the top 100 so we can see more of her.