A lot of drama was available as a second round promotion on the US Open on Thursday.
No match was more dramatic than Kamil Majchrzak vs. Karen Khachanov.
Previously 0-4 lifespan in the head-to-head series, Majchrzak had lost twice to Khachanov in straight sets at Grand Slams-First on the 2020 French Open and again earlier this summer in Wimbledon. For a large part of the way it seemed as if the 29-year-old pole was well on the way to another loss by the 29-year-old Russian. Majchrzak not only did two sets to love, but he also fell behind 5-2 in the fifth. That is when the world no. 76 has saved three match points before it has two more fluid at 5-6.
After he had finally forced a super-tie-traveler, Majchrzak led it about from start to finish for an unlikely 2-6, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 (10-5) victory.
Majchrzak is accompanied in the third round by Leandro Riedi for what a shocking third-round confrontation will be on Friday. Riedi also came back from two sets against a heavy favorite opponent, while the 23-year-old Swiss bewildered Francisco Cerundolo 3-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-2. Cerundolo led by a break at 2-1 in the fifth to drop the last five games of the game.
It was a rough twist of the tables for the 19th ranking order Argentin, which had designed a comeback of two sets of his own against Matteo Arnaldi in the first round.
Shortly after Riedi and Majchrzak triumphed, Flavio Cobolli Jenson Brooksby 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (10-3) survived. Brooksby broke back with his opponent who served at 5-4 in the fifth, which saved two match points along the way-included one in a particularly great way. In the end Cobolli could be linked. The 26th rank Italian held from a 15-30 deficit at 5-6 and then played an near-Vloozo super-tie-trader.
The reward of Cobolli is an all-Italian third round affair with Lorenzo Musetti on Friday.
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