It was a very light day of first round action at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic in Washington, D.C. on Sunday. Thirty-year-old journeyman, Xavier Malisse battled back from a set down to defeat Colombian Santiago Giraldo, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. Malisse, who is the only male Belgian player to ever attain a ranking in the top 20, saved 11 out of 13 break points in his three set victory.
In the only other first round match, 52nd world ranked Argentine, Horacio Zeballos came back from a set down to defeat 87th world ranked Pole, Michal Przsiezny, 3-6, 7-6, 6-4. Zeballos saved seven out of eight break points and was able to covert on his only break chance of the match, which came in the final set.
Wrapping up the final round of qualifying tennis at Legg Mason: Japanese hopeful Kei Nishikori took out big serving South African, Kevin Anderson in three tight sets, 4-6, 7-6, 6-4; Argentine, Brian Dabul double bageled Igor Sijsling of the Netherlands, 6-0, 6-0; and thirty-two-year-old American, Kevin Kim defeated India’s Somdev Devvarman, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1. Also, in yet another disappointing early exit, one-time-top-ranked-junior, Donald Young was routinely dispatched by Slovenia’s Grega Zemlja, 6-2, 6-4.
Written by:
