Two-time Grand Slam finalist and former world No. 5 Kevin Anderson outlasted 20-year-old American Jenson Brooksby, 7-6(8), 6-4, to win the Hall of Fame Open ATP 250 on Sunday in Newport, R.I., to claim the first singles title of the 2021 US Open Series.
The title is the 35-year-old South African’s seventh and second at a US Open Series event, coming six years after winning the Winston-Salem Open in 2015. Anderson, a wild card entry into the event, came into the event ranked No. 113 and more or less guaranteed a direct entry into the 2021 U.S. Open with his performance in Newport this week. Brooksby was appearing in his first ATP Tour-level final and was the second-youngest finalist in the event’s 45 years, after 19-year-old Greg Rusedski won the title in 1993.
Brooksby, from Sacramento, Calif., is projected to rise to a career-high No. 126 in the world and No. 6 in the ‘Race to Milan’ for a spot in November’s eight-player Next Gen ATP Finals for players 20 and younger. Brooksby was the USTA Boys’ 18s National Champion in 2018 and is coached by Joseph Gilbert, who has twice been named USTA Player Development’s Team USA Developmental Coach of the Year (2013, 2018).
Read more about Brooksby at USTA.com, ATPTour.com, Tennis.com and by Randy Walker here: .http://www.worldtennismagazine.com/archives/17233
Americans Jack Sock and William Blumberg, a 2021 USTA Collegiate Team member and 2017 NCAA singles finalist at UNC, won the doubles title in Newport over American Olympian Austin Krajicek and Canadian Vasek Pospisil, 6-2, 7-6(3).
The next event on the US Open Series calendar is the Truist Atlanta Open ATP 250 July 24-August 1. Five-time champion John Isner, rising Americans Reilly Opelka and Taylor Fritz, Nick Kyrgios, Grigor Dimitrov and Jannik Sinner headline the field in Atlanta, which will also feature a women’s exhibition between Kim Clijsters and Sloane Stephens. Tennis Channel and its streaming service Tennis Channel Plus will have week-long coverage.
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About the US Open Series
The US Open Series serves as a true “regular season” of summer tennis in North America, linking nine WTA and ATP Tour tournaments to the US Open. Featuring a cohesive weekly viewing schedule, as well as comprehensive outreach and grassroots engagement initiatives, the Series serves as a vital platform to promote and grow the game of tennis in person and at home. Fans can follow along all summer as today’s top champions go head-to-head with tomorrow’s emerging stars, while each tournament engages its local community with a variety of programs geared toward showcasing and promoting the game to new and existing fans.
