American Donald Young defied his recent poor form to mount a stirring comeback from two sets to love down to beat eleventh seed Gilles Simon 2-6,4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.
Things had looked bleak for the twenty-six year old American when Simon built a seemingly unassailable two set lead. But Young recovered, breaking eight times in the final three sets to knock out the Wimbledon quarter-finalist in three hours and thirty-five minutes.
Young had struggled coming into the US Open, losing in the opening round of six of his last eight tournaments. A recent win over Tomas Berdych in Montreal though, suggested a possible return to form but still left Young a significant underdog ahead of this tie.
Simon though, had also come in with poor form, failing to win back-to-back matches since Wimbledon, including a defeat to Aljaz Bedene in Winston-Salem.
Simon was still expected to progress smoothly though, and things looked to go according to plan in the first set, Simon breaking three times, and winning sixty-three percent of points on Young’s second serve. The American was also failing to find his first serve, only managing to put forty-four percent of first serves in play. Five double faults also made for grim reading.
The second set became a closer affair, with both players tightening up, Simon eventually winning the set six-four. Young did not manage a single break opportunity, whilst Simon only converted one from five chances. At this point it looked very difficult for Young to recover.
Roles reversed however in the third set, with Simon’s serve deserting him. Young managed to limit Simon to just one break, whilst converting both chances he was afforded. Young now had a set on the board.
The fourth set saw both continue to threaten each other. Simon and Young breaking twice each before Young secured a third break, and finally held, to take the match to a decider.
A see-saw encounter continued, as five more breaks of serve occurred. Young kept taking the lead and then relinquishing it again, as both players were proving miserable in defending their second serve. Young broke for five-four, and though Simon briefly threatened yet another break in winning the opening point, Young found some timely big serves and closed out when Simon failed to return a serve. It marked the first time that Young had recovered from two sets down to win, and levels his five set record at three apiece.
Young’s reward for his impressive win is a matchup against Ernests Gulbis or Briton Aljaz Bedene. Simon’s early loss is good news for French Open Champion Stan Wawrinka, who now faces a potentially easier fourth-round opponent down the stretch.
