WHAT HAPPENED: It looked like 16-year-old American Zachary Svajda had been here before.
Looks, though, sometimes deceive. Svajda, the 18-and-under national boys’ champion in Kalamazoo, Michigan, was making his US Open debut as the automatic wild card entrant in the first round of the US Open on Monday in New York against Italian veteran Paolo Lorenzi. As fans increasingly packed Court 5 to get a glimpse of the teen, it was no wonder American tennis fans were so eager: Svajda is the youngest American to make the main draw since Donald Young in 2005 and would be the first American 16-year-old to record a win since Michael Chang in 1988. Incredibly, Monday's contest wasn't just Svajda's first Grand Slam match but his first tour-level event as well. (And, imagine this: it was also the high school junior’s first trip to New York from his home in San Diego.)
None of that seemed to bother Svajda in the first two sets, as the youngster used nimble legs and a deft touch to cruise to a two-set lead against the Italian veteran.
The 37-year-old Lorenzi—a so-called “lucky loser” who managed to make the main draw after Kevin Anderson withdrew at the last minute—made sure it wouldn’t be quite that easy for the youngster. After it looked like the match was out of reach, Lorenzi battled over four hours and 20 minutes to take the match, 3-6, 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 6-2.
WHAT IT MEANS: Monday's first round match was a big opportunity for both players. Svajda was set to face former world No. 5 Kevin Anderson before he withdrew with an injury just before the tournament and opened a spot for Lorenzi, who had lost in the third-round of qualifiers but was granted a "lucky loser" entry into the US Open's first round.
Svajda—who has big groundstrokes and deft touch, mixed with a quiet on-court personality—was facing a scenario as a 16-year-old that is the stuff of dreams: a chance for his first tour-level win at the US Open and the first American since Michael Chang did so at the same age in 1988.
Lorenzi, ranked No. 135, is seeking to climb out of a ranking hole that is the lowest since 2011 and match his fourth-round US Open effort in 2017.
MATCH POINT: As USOpen.org has reported, Svajda has taken an unconventional tennis path in his young life. For the past several years, the high school junior has chosen not to play tournaments, instead deciding to simply practice and train with his father Tom, younger brother Trevor and Dallas-based coach Matt Hanlin. He has played only a handful of ITF Futures-level professional events.
"This is his first ATP tournament, and it's not even a [qualifying draw]," Hanlin said. "It';s kind of insane to think his first match will be at the US Open."
