By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Friday September 30, 2022
American Aleks Kovacevic is into the semis in Seoul on his tour-level debut.
Photo Source: TTV
American Aleksandar Kovacevic is having a blast in his ATP Debut. The 24-year-old, who entered the main draw as a lucky loser, has earned high quality wins over Miomir Kecmanovic, Tseng Chun-Hsin and Mackenzie McDonald to take a place in the semis, where he will face Yoshihito Nishioka for a spot in the final.
It hasn’t been a bad week for Nishioka either – the Japanese sprite ripped past top-seeded Casper Ruud on Friday in Seoul, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 for his biggest career win by ranking.
Kovacevic, a former NCAA standout, played the night match in Korea and rallied from a set deficit to defeat McDonald 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
After defeating Kecmanovic in his first match, there were some worries about how the 24-year-old World No.222 would rock up after such a stunning debut. He has quelled all worries with two more wins, both in three sets.
Kovacevic, a New York native who trained at John McEnroe’s academy for a spell before attending the University of Illinois, has a telegenic one-handed backhand and a booming forehand and serve.
He’s made use of them in his first ATP event quite well, thank you.
Kovacevic saved 17 of 20 break points in his first two rounds, and on Friday against McDonald he was nearly untouchable on serve, winning 39 of 43 first-serve points, including 15 of 15 in the final set.
He cracked 39 winners against 12 unforced errors against McDonald.
Kovacevic will make his Top-200 debut on Monday, and is at 166 in the live rankings at the moment.
Nishioka Stuns Ruud
Yoshihito Nishioka continues to enjoy a solid second half of 2022. The Citi Open runner-up was in rude form on Friday against Norway’s Ruud and he delivered an upset for the ages against the World No.2.
After a blistering start, the fleet-footed Japanese highlight maker encountered a determined Ruud in the second set. After a slow start the Norwegian was serving big, and playing hungry, but he could not complete his comeback as Nishioka owned the stage in the final set and raced away with the massive win.
Particularly noteworthy was Nishioka’s aggression and his willingness to finish points at net in the contest. He won 19 of 24 points at net and turned the match on his terms. He was also more solid than Ruud from the baseline, committing just 14 unforced errors against 35 for Ruud.
Nishioka kept the winner count close against his lethal opponent, cracking 32 against 34 for Ruud.
Denis Shapovalov was also a winner on Friday in Seoul, the Canadian completing a 6-2 6-2 takedown of Moldova’s Radu Albot in 72 minutes to set a semifinal with Jenson Brooksby of the USA. Brooksby, seeded eighth, advanced when No.2-seeded Cameron Norrie pulled out due to illness.
Chung Alive in Doubles
Returning to the tour for the first time since 2020, former World No.19 advanced to the doubles semifinals alongside Soonwoo Kwon.
The Korean pair wowed the home fans with a 7-6(4), 2-6, 10-7 triumph over Andre Goransson and Ben McLachlan.