PARIS (AP) — Nagdadalamhati ang katauhan ni Steve Johnson, ngunit matibay ang kanyang puso sa laban at napatunayan ito sa makapigil-hiningang panalo kay Borna Coric, 6-2, 7-6 (8), 3-6, 7-6 (6) nitong Miyerkules (Huwebes sa Manila) para makausad sa third round ng French Open.
Umabot sa apat na oras na laban at sa bawat sandaling iginugupo ang kanyang kaisipan bunsod ng pagkamatay ng ama, patuloy namang sumisikdo ang kanyang palabang puso tungo sa panalo na tunay namang hinangaan ng mga manonood.
“I have no idea what happened after I hit the forehand. I just kind of collapsed and, emotionally, it got the best of me,” pahayag ni Johnson, sunod na makakaharap si No. 6 Dominic Thiem.
“The other days, I was able to kind of get to the locker room and kind of compose myself a little bit. Today was just such an emotional match. A long match. Up and down. Just to get through it was something that I know I’ll be very proud of,” aniya.
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Inihampas naman ni Coric ng raketa sa court bunsod nang pagkadismayan, ngunit kaagad din siyang pumayapa dahil s katotohanan na mas masalimuot ang katayuan sa kasalukuyan ni Johnson.
“Super tough, definitely,” pahayag ng 40th-ranked Croatian. “And all the credit to him, that he was able to go through this period and also to play this good.”
Pumanaw ang ama ni Johnson na si Steve Sr. may tatlong linggo na ang nakalilipas.
“I know it’s going to be emotional for quite some time. Who knows how long it’ll take? I just know he’s with me. He raised me to be a competitor and a fighter to the last point. And that’s what I try to do with my tennis,” pahayag ng 27-anyos na si Johnson, kampeon sa dalawang NCAA singles at apat na team titles sa Southern California. “I may not be the best tennis player. But there’s not going to be a day where I’m just going to let you win. I’m going to try and give it my best.”
Maaga namang nag-alsa balutan ang 12th-seeded Frenchman na si Jo-Wilfried Tsonga matapos gapiin ni 91st ranked Renzon Olivo ng Argentina, 7-5, 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-4.
“Last week, I won my first-ever clay tournament,” sambit ni Tsonga, patungol sa tagumpay niya sa pampaganang torneo sa Lyon. “And today, I lost at the French Open. It’s the paradox of tennis.”
Umusad naman ang mga top player tulad nina defending champion Novak Djokovic at nine-time champion Rafael Nadal, gayundin sina women’s defending champion Garbine Muguruza, dating No. 1 Venus Williams at Caroline Wozniacki.
Sopresa naman ang kabiguan ni No. 6 Dominika Cibulkova kay 114th-ranked Ons Jabeur ng Tunisia, 6-4, 6-3, habang giniba ng 18-anyos na si Cici Bellis ng California si No. 18 Kiki Bertens ng The Netherlands, 6-3, 7-6 (5).
Napatalsik din si two-time major champion Petra Kvitova, nagbalik aksiyon mula ng sumailalim sa surgery nang masugatan sa kamay nang magnanakaw, ni American qualifier Bethnie Mattek-Sands.
