Four Americans will play for position in main draw

Local connections James Hignett and Kushaan Nath both fell in their opening round matches in the singles qualifying draw during day one.

Hignett, Binghamton University’s mens tennis assistant coach, faced John Lamble in the opening match of the day on center court. The Great Britain native went point for point with Lamble (No. 878) in a competitive two-set match. After Lamble took the first set 6-3, Hignett started off the second set with a win. Going game-for-game, Hignett was down 5-3 as he tied and had his shot at advantage point against Lamble. The 25-year old Lamble from Saratoga, California, however, took the frame and won the set 6-3. Hignett was a Binghamton Tennis Center Clay Court Tournament doubles champion, earning a wild card in the singles qualifying draw. Lamble will face Eric Quigley (USA), who was seeded second in the qualifying round and received a bye for today’s competition.

Nath, a rising sophomore at nearby Binghamton University fell to Dekel Bar, 6-1, 6-1 in his first-ever professional appearance. The native of India won a single game in both sets, but Bar rattled off twelve wins to advance in Sunday’s play. Bar, the 24-year old from Israel, came into today as the fourth seed and ranked at a career high No. 604. Nath was the Binghamton Tennis Center Clay Court Tournament singles champion, earning a wild card in the qualifying draw. Bar will face (WC) Shane Monroe (USA) in the final qualifying round tomorrow. Monroe knocked off the seventh-seeded Roy Smith (USA) in straight sets today, 6-3, 6-4.

All six of the players who advanced were seeded in the qualifying draw. Third-seeded Evan Song also won in straight sets, 7-6 (4), 6-2, over Jordan Parker. The 25-year old Song from Henderson, Nevada is currently ranked No. 544. Song will face Connor Farren (USA) for a spot in the main draw tomorrow at 10 a.m. after Farren defeated Varun Jayaram (USA) 6-0, 6-3.

Eighth-seeded Jarryd Chaplin (AUS) advanced in the qualifying draw by virtue of his 6-2, 7-6 (5) victory over Christopher Rosensteel (USA). The 25-year old will face the number one seed Adam El Mihdawy (USA), an LG&T Challenger veteran, for a position in the main draw after Mihdawy received a bye on day one of the qualifier.