Last year saw Swiss Henri Laaksonen pick up the title. This year the American contingent are looking to set things right by having one of their own win on US soil.
Top seed Tennys Sandgren moved into the quarter-finals freely after his opponent Christian Harrison was forced to retire after feeling discomfort in the warm-up. The younger brother of Memphis winner Ryan, Harrison was forced to withdraw from Knoxville with a wrist injury and it appears the same problem has flared up again.
5th seed Bjorn Fratangelo edged fellow American Bradley Klahn 6-4, 6-4. Klahn is sitting just outside the Top 200, but reaching the second round in Champaign this year does not better his semi-final efforts from last year.
The early match of the day was the battle between 8th seed Tommy Paul and Sweden’s Mikael Ymer. The American won the first set before Ymer came back in the second. The third set was close before Paul blew away the teenager by winning all seven points of the third set in a 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 win.
Taylor Fritz also reached the last eight after a straight sets win over qualifier Ronnie Schneider, 6-4, 6-3. Fritz will face close friend and rival Tommy Paul in the next round. The pair played two Junior Grand Slam finals in 2015. Paul won the battle at Roland Garros before Fritz returned the favour by winning at the US Open later that year.
Mackenzie McDonald also moved into the last eight. The 22 year-old recently won his first career Challenger title in Fairfield, and is now holding down a Top 200 ranking. He defeated Australia’s John-Patrick Smith 7-5, 7-6
Further matches to come include Charlottesville winner Tim Smyczek taking on Dennis Nevolo, and 4th seed Cameron Norrie’s match with Jared Hiltzik.
