US teen Scoville Jenkins captured his first ATP victory here on Monday, defeating Finlands Jarkko Nieminen 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 at a 675,000-dollar tournament, the final tune-up for the US Open. The 18-year-old American blasted 17 aces and overcame a shaky start to prevail in one hour and 50 minutes.
"This is big," Jenkins said. "Im excited but I cant be too excited because I have another match to go tomorrow."
Jenkins playd in two prior ATP events but suffered first-round losses both times to Americans, once at the hands of Kevin Kim and the other to Andy Roddick, a solid contender for the year's final Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows.
American Justin Gimelstob rallied to defeat Spain's Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7/4) while Romania's Victor Hanescu outlasted Peru's Luis Horna 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/5).
FIRST ROUND: Davide Sanguinetti (ITA) bt Kevin Kim (USA) 7-6 (8/6), 6-3; Igor Andreev (RUS) bt Juan Monaco (ARG) 6-3, 6-4; Scoville Jenkins (USA) bt Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) 2-6, 6-3, 6-4; Victor Hanescu (ROM) bt Luis Horna (PER) 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/5); Stefan Koubek (AUT) bt Bobby Reynolds (USA) 6-3, 6-4; Cyril Saulnier (FRA) bt Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) 6-3, 6-2; Tomas Zib (CZE) bt Gilles Muller (LUX) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3; Fernando Verdasco (ESP) bt Jan Hernych (CZE) 6-0, 6-4; Andreas Seppi (ITA) bt Dmitry Tursunov (RUS) 1-6, 6-3, 6-4; Justin Gimelstob (USA) bt Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7/4).