Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Zach Fuchs steps in for a volley during his match against France's Antoine Ghibaudo Tuesday afternoon. Eliminated from singles at the ITF tournament, the 23-year-old will be back on court Wednesday with an eye on winning the doubles title.
CHAMPAIGN - Zach Fuchs came up just short in a gripping second-round qualifying match Tuesday at the Neitzel Family Open, falling to Antoine Ghibaudo in a decisive 10-point tiebreak at the Atkins Tennis Center in Champaign. The final score: 2-6, 6-4, 8-10. Fuchs trailed 6-3 early in the breaker but fought back point by point to cut the deficit to 8-7 before Ghibaudo sealed the match with the final two points, advancing to Wednesday's first-round main draw. The 23-year-old Fuchs, currently ranked 1376 by the ITF, opened the tournament with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Saheb Sodhi in Monday’s first round of qualifying. The Neitzel Family Open marked the final leg of a productive summer for Fuchs, who posted a 3-3 record across three tournaments in Tunisia. His three wins overseas combined with a solid showing at the Witchita Tennis Open back in mid-June highlights the hard work he has put in to improve his singles game. The main draw competition starts on Wedenday at 10 am with four matches. Later in the afternoon, Fuchs teams up with Wally Thayne for a doubles match against Mikael Arseneault and Alexander Brown.
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