Americans Sock, Ram Win Titles at ATP Delray Beach Open

No. 3-seeded American Jack Sock was crowned the singles champion of the Delray Beach Open on Sunday in an anti-climactic affair when his top-seeded opponent Milos Raonic of Canada withdrew from the match before taking the court, citing a hamstring tear in his right leg.

“It’s very unfortunate for him and I hope he has a speedy recovery,” Sock said. “I’d be a little more excited and full of energy if I had gone out and won it on court, but on the flip side, a title is a title.”

Raonic said he injured the leg during the second set of his semifinal match when he defeated No. 7 seed Juan Martin del Potro 6-3, 7-6(6). Sock in his semifinal held off unseeded fellow American Donald Young 6-4, 7-6(2).

“I’ve been unfortunate with injuries and have been doing everything I can to prevent them,” Raonic said. “It’s been three tournaments in a row where I’ve sustained some sort of muscle damage. And it’s disappointing for the sole fact that you’re one match away from a title. It’s not easy to accept.”

It was Sock’s second singles title of the year after Auckland in January, and his third career title.

American Rajeev Ram, last year’s singles finalist, won the doubles title as the No. 2 seed with South African Raveen Klassen. In the final they defeated the No. 3-seeded team of Treat Huey of the Philippines and Belarus’ Max Mirnyi 7-5, 7-5.

Tampa Pro Connor Smith Rocks Melbourne One-on-One Doubles Tennis Shootout

Left to right: Tournament Director Ed Krass with champion Connor Smith

Connor Smith of Tampa, the No. 352-ranked player on the ATP World Tour, captured the title over the weekend at the $2,000 Space Coast One-on-One Doubles Shootout in Melbourne, Fla.

The 26-year-old former Ohio State stand-out defeated the University of South Florida’s Grayson Goldin 4-2 in the final, taking home the tournament’s first prize of $1,000.

“The One-on-One Doubles Tournament event went great,” said Paul Davis, tennis director at Suntree Country Club in Melbourne. “The event was well attended by our club’s membership. They all loved the fast format and seeing all that serve-and-volley tennis. The band and Ed Krass rocked! We want to bring this event back next year.”

One-on-One Doubles Tournaments, called “the third game of tennis” next to traditional singles and doubles, and sanctioned by USTA Florida, features two players serving and playing out points cross-court only with the alley included, emphasizing serve-and-volley play with short-set, no-ad scoring.

Smith barely made it out of round robin play into the single-elimination quarterfinals where he then caught fire, defeating Hunter Reece of Georgia 4-2, Matt Seeberger of California 4-1, then Goldin in the final.

“Seven of the eight tournament quarterfinalists had ATP tournament-playing experience,” said Tournament Director Ed Krass. “Jerome Moenter from Naples, who won the 2013 USTA National Clay Court Doubles championship also made it to the quarterfinals.”

The next event on the One-on-One Doubles circuit is the $2,000 Tampa Bay One-on-One Doubles Shootout on Saturday, March 25 at the FishHawk Ranch Tennis Club in Lithia, Fla. For more info visit www.oneononedoubles.com.