Top seeds Bigun, Kim advance in ATP Kingston 2 Challenge
Jamaican Chin battles Willwerth in tense clash
TOP seeds Kaylan Bigun and Aidan Kim of the United States advanced to the round of 32 of the ATP Kingston 2 Challenge at Liguanea Club in New Kingston on Monday.
Up to press time, Jamaica’s lone competitor in action on Monday, John Chin, was locked in a close battle with 19-year-old American Benjamin Willwerth, who won the first set 6-4.
The 22-year-old Chin fought hard and jumped to a 2-0 lead before Willwerth broke back and levelled the set at 2-2. Chin then went ahead 3-2 as it became clear that it would be a close encounter in the first set.
With them tied at 4-4, Willwerth broke Chin and went up 5-4, then held his serve to take the set in 49 minutes.
Earlier, Bigun, the number one seed, turned back the challenge of the ninth-seeded Arklon del Pino Cordova of Peru 6-1, 7-6 on Court 1, while Kim dispatched Canadian Dan Martin 6-2, 6-1 on Centre Court.
Australia’s Thomas Fancutt saw off American Bruno Kuzuhara 6-4, 6-4.
Evan Zhu won the battle of the Americans, beating his compatriot Joshua Sheehy 7-5, 6-0 in one hour and 27 minutes.
In a two-hour marathon, 11th seed Keshav Chopra of the US defeated his compatriot, the sixth-seeded Aidan Mayo 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.
In the round of 32, Max Purcell of Australia created a big upset beating the fifth-seeded Igor Marcondes of Brazil 6-4, 6-2.
Spain’s number three seed Mario Fernandez ousted American 10th seed Matt Kuhar 6-2, 7-5 and advanced to the round of 32.
On Monday evening, the round of 32 served off and second seed Andy Andrade of Ecuador defeated Edward Winter of Australia 6-4, 7-6 and Guto Miguel of Brazil turned back Tyler Zink of the USA 6-4, 6-2.
On Sunday, Jamaica’s Nicholas Gore lost 0-6, 1-6 to seventh-seeded Canadian Dan Martin in the first round.
Jamaica’s top player Blaise Bicknell is scheduled to be in action on Tuesday against Ivan Curbelo of Spain.
