Kitumanovic Upsets Shimabukuro in Thrilling First Round at Dallas Open
A hard-fought battle at the NEXO Dallas Open saw Serbia’s Miomir Kitumanovic defeat Japan’s General Shimabukuro in three sets – 7-6 (7-3), 3-6, 6-7 (3-7) – on February 10th. The match, played on an indoor hard court at the ATP500 event in Dallas, Texas, marked Kitumanovic’s first tour-level win of the season.
Shimabukuro’s Challenging Start to 2024
Shimabukuro, currently ranked 141st in the world, has primarily focused on Challenger tournaments this season. He demonstrated promising form, reaching the quarterfinals of the Workday Canberra International in Australia and the semifinals of the San Diego Open in the United States. Despite this success on the Challenger circuit, translating that form to the ATP Tour proved difficult in Dallas.
A Qualifying Run to the Main Draw
Kitumanovic’s path to the first round was not straightforward. He entered the tournament through the qualifying rounds, utilizing a protected ranking – a measure designed to assist players returning from injury. In the qualifying final, he overcame former world No. 17 Bernard Tomic of Australia, securing his place in the main draw for the first time this season.
A Back-and-Forth Battle on Court
The first set was a tense affair, with Shimabukuro initially dropping serve but immediately responding with a break of his own. Neither player could gain a decisive advantage, forcing a tie-break. Shimabukuro secured an early mini-break and capitalized, taking the first set 7-6 (7-3). However, Kitumanovic responded strongly in the second set, breaking Shimabukuro’s serve and maintaining that advantage to level the match at one set apiece.
The deciding set mirrored the first, characterized by solid serving from both players and a lack of break point opportunities. This led to another tie-break, where Kitumanovic gained an early mini-break and, despite a late challenge from Shimabukuro who fought back to 2-5, ultimately prevailed after a grueling two hours and four minutes.
Near Miss for Shimabukuro in Tokyo
Shimabukuro’s recent ATP Tour experience included a first-round appearance at the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships in September of last year. He faced Tomas Mahac of the Czech Republic, aiming for his first main tour victory in approximately five months, but narrowly missed out on the win.
Kitumanovic’s victory sets up a second-round clash against either the fifth-seeded Tommy Paul of the United States or fellow American Jenson Brooksby, ranked 45th in the world.
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