By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday July 30, 2024
Frances Tiafoe edged Colombia's Danil Elahi Galan to advance at the Citi Open.
Photo Source: AP
An American man has not won the Citi Open title since Andy Roddick in 2007, but several Americans have their eyes on the prize this week in Washington, D.C.
Enter Frances Tiafoe, a DMV native who has made no secret about his desire to win his home tournament.
On Tuesday he took the first step, flipping the switch to rally past Colombia’s Daniel Elahi Galan, 6-7(8), 6-3, 6-3.
A two-time quarterfinalist in D.C., Tiafoe weathered 22 aces and broke serve three times across the final two sets to earn his 17th win of 2024 to reach the round of 16. He’ll face either Aleksandar Kovacevic or Roberto Carballes Baena next.
Two other Americans – Sebastian Korda and Brandon Nakashima – also reached the round of 16 on Tuesday in the nation’s capital.
Fourth-seeded Korda took out Cristian Garin 6-3, 6-2, while 13th-seeded Nakashima edged Australia’s Christopher O’Connell, 6-2, 6-2.
Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic and Canada’s Denis Shapovalov also reached the third round.
Round of 16 Set on the Women’s Side
The sweet 16 is set on the women’s side for the women, and five Americans are through.
Peyton Stearns defeated DMV native Clervie Ngounoue, 6-3, 7-6(3), while Taylor Townsend toppled ninth-seeded Anastasia Potapova, 6-2, 6-2, to join Robin Montgomery, Amanda Anisimova and Caroline Dolehide in the round of 16.
Sofia Kenin was not so fortunate. The former Grand Slam champion fell to Spain’s Paula Badosa, 6-1, 7-6(6) in Tuesday’s nightcap at the Citi Open.