Results - Sunday, August 9, 2009

Two Young Americans Advance to Main Draw

Two young Americans have advanced to the main draw in the LG&T Tennis Challenger as a result of impressive wins in the qualifying round. Twenty year old Roy Kalmanovich defeated Laurynas Grigelis of Lithuania in a match that featured 2 tiebreakers, 4-6, 7-6(4), 7-6 (2). Kalmanovich, who emigrated to America as a 4 year old, was an all Big 10 player at the University of Illinois, where he reached the round of 32 at the 2009 NCAA singles championships. He currently holds an ATP ranking of 1040.

Seventeen year old Ryan Harrison showed that he can compete at this level, winning his 3rd and final qualifying match today over Tigran Martirosyan of Armenia 6-3, 6-4, earning a spot in the main draw. Harrison has experienced some success this summer, winning the Futures event in Shingle Springs Ca this past June, and reaching the quarter-finals at the Sarasota Fl Futures event in May.

Harrison was born in Shreveport La, and currently resides in New Braunfels Tx., where his family moved when his father and coach, Pat Harrison, became the head pro at the John Newcombe Tennis Academy there. Ryan, who traveled to Binghamton with his mother, has a 15 year old brother and 12 year old sister who are up and coming tennis players in their own right. His father and coach is currently in Atlanta where his sister is playing in a junior tournament.