Top-seeded Sam Querrey was upset in the second round of the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships on Wednesday, losing in straight sets to Dustin Brown of Jamaica.
Querrey, ranked 19th and a three-time winner on the tour this season, was beaten 6-4, 6-3 in just 47 minutes.
Brown won 33 of 34 of his first-serve points and claimed his first win over a top-20 player.
Brown, ranked in the 400s a year ago, relied on a quick pace and big serve to frustrate the leading player from the United States in the tournament. He had 14 aces.
“Half the time I was walking over to the other side and the ball was in the air for him to serve,” Querrey said of Brown’s fast approach.
The 25-year old Jamaican took control by breaking Querrey to go up 3-2 in the fifth game of the second set, winning with a well-placed drop shot at the net.
“I wasn’t expecting to break him. I knew I was serving well,” Brown said. “When I broke him, I just wanted to continue to serve well. Everything just struck together for me. It’s going to take a while to sink in.”
Both players held serve and Brown led 4-3 at the changeover. He didn’t sit during the break, came back out and closed the eighth game with three straight aces.
The match ended when Querrey hit a forehand return into the net after Brown moved to match point with a backhand passing shot down the sideline.
Querrey won in Memphis, Belgrade and at Queen’s Club so far this season. Last year, he was the first American in five years to advance to three straight finals, including a runner-up in Newport. He won the Los Angeles Open and was runner-up at Pilot Pen.
In other action, No. 5-seeded Mardy Fish advanced to the quaterfinals by defeating Somdev Dewarman, 6-2, 6-0, in 66 minutes.
“You know what to expect when you come here because they’re more soft than the courts over in London,” Fish said of Newport’s grass courts. “They’re sort of like first-strike tennis. I feel like that suits my style.”
Nicolas Mahut, playing in his first tournament since losing to John Isner at Wimbledon in the longest match in tennis history, was defeated by Frank Dancevic, 7-6 (5), 6-3.
Mahut said he was going to rest for a few weeks after his 76-minute loss.
“I have to. I can’t play in this shape. I have to take two weeks off to see how my body heals,” the Frenchman said. “Today, my lower back, my foot and my knee were really bothering me. I tried. I tried. I kept fighting. After Wimbledon, I got here and was feeling great. I don’t know why.”
Defending champion Rajeev Ram was beaten by Raven Klaasen, 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 (3). Brian Dabul also advanced, beating Go Soeda 7-5, 6-2.
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